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雄心壮志 (xióng xīn zhuàng zhì) — lofty aspirations and high aims; great ambition

Definition

A chengyu for great ambition — a strong will paired with high goals. Always positive and heroic in tone, unlike bare 理想 (which can be modest) or 野心 (which carries a negative, selfish sense).

idiom
lofty aspirations and high aimsgreat ambition

Examples

  • 雄心壮志，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù huái yǒu xióng xīn zhuàng zhì, lì zhì yào gǎi biàn shì jiè.
    He has harbored lofty aspirations since childhood, determined to change the world.
  • 雄心壮志，。
    Yí gè rén zhǐ yǒu xióng xīn zhuàng zhì shì bú gòu de, hái xū yào jiǎo tà shí dì.
    It's not enough to have lofty aspirations; one also needs to be down-to-earth.
  • 雄心壮志。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō miáo xiě le yí wèi qīng nián cóng xióng xīn zhuàng zhì dào shí xiàn mèng xiǎng de gù shi.
    This novel tells the story of a young person from having lofty aspirations to realizing their dreams.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

雄心heroic heart
雄xióngheroic心xīnheart
偏正Modifier + head
壮志strong ambition
壮zhuàngstrong志zhìambition
偏正Modifier + head

雄 means heroic, 心 means heart, 壮 means strong, 志 means ambition, joining to express great ideals.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuī
Sound part声符shēngfú
厷
厷gōng雄xióng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雄 is formed by putting 隹 together with 厷, with 厷 giving the character's sound.

Open 雄 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壯; 壮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
士士shì
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán壯zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壯 uses 士 to hint at the meaning and 爿 for the sound; the simplified 壮 is a later abbreviation.

Open 壮 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī志zhì
Same sound today

志 has 心, the heart, below and a simplified top from 之 for sound.

Open 志 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsIdioms & Set Phrases

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